McCalls 5931 - top finished.

Today I started sewing McCalls 5931

MISSES' TOPS: Empire waist peasant tops A, B have deep, scooped neckline, gathered bodice front with faced stay, side zipper closure and neck binding ending in ties; dress A has elbow length sleeves gathered to barrel cuffs; dress B has long sleeves with elastic casings.

NOTIONS: Thread; Top A, B - 12" Zipper and 1/2 Yd. of 1/2" Elastic.

SUGGESTED FABRICS: Top A, B - Lightweight Fabrics Such as Batiste • Challis • Crepe de Chine • Handkerchief Linen • Double Georgette. Additional Fabric may be needed to match stripes, plaids or one-way design fabric.

I looked up this pattern in Pattern Review to see if anyone had put up any comments and a couple of people commented on the gathering – location of the bust darts etc.

I have had the pattern since the summer with a view to sewing it then, but I got carried away sewing other items, predominately linen dresses for my trips to Houston which can be quite hot.

I have selected a creamy crepe fabric which has a delicate gold almost snakeskin design to it – however delicate enough not to be in your face.

Here is a photo of the sleeve – as you can see its enormous so I cut these out first and then folded the fabric to make the most of the other pattern pieces that needed to be cut on the fold.

  

The bodice is made up of several parts that require gathering - I know when I have done gathered bodices in the past I have had mixed results

 

Here is the start of the construction - doesn't look so great with the t-shirt over my mannequin  “Edna” but gives me an idea of the overall look.

On the long sleeve version the cuffs are elasticated so I decided to try inserting the elastic using the serger.  Basically you thread the elastic through the normal  foot, ensure the elastic has been trapped by a few stitches, and then stretch the elastic while you serge around the cuff.  It works quite well, however I had to unpick the first sleeve so that I could get the tension right because there is quite a large area of fabric to work with.


Both sleeves have been tacked in place now so ready to move on to the next steps.

So here is the finished top.  After I attached the band to the neck edge - which is also the tie too, I decided I didn't like the way that it sat so I turned it over again, making it half the width it should have been and I think it looks better.

This is not one of my best projects but it looks ok.  I plan on wearing it with some jeans or leggings and boots.

Much like another person on Pattern Review, the bust gathering, and placement could probably do with altering but on the whole I am quite pleased with it.